[420 Girl]

An “urgency” interim ordinance to establish a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries failed 3-2 Wednesday during Cathedral City's City Council meeting.

Then, Councilman Greg Pettis brought forth a motion for city staff to write an ordinance within 60 days to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries. It also failed 3 to 2.

Now, council members are waiting for a report from City Attorney Charles Green to see if they can vote on another moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries without the “urgency” label, which requires a super-majority vote of 4-1 to pass. Without it, a majority of 3-2 would be enough to proceed.

Pettis described the two no votes as a waste of time.

If the urgency interim ordinance had succeeded, it would have led to a moratorium on the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries and the distribution of medical marijuana at existing businesses in Cathedral City. The moratorium would have expired May 23.
No rush

Both Pettis and Councilman Paul Marchand, who voted against the urgency ordinance, said they saw no reason to be in a hurry.

“We've been discussing this for so long, there's been ample time to get this done,” said Marchand. He said he has no problem coming up with regulations on marijuana.

However, Marchand, who also voted for Pettis' motion, worried that putting a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries would prolong the issue too long because council members could extend the moratorium if staff did not come up with a resolution by the moratorium's expiration date.

Mayor Pro Tem Charles “Bud” England said he wanted to give city staff as much time as it needs to create an ordinance.

“To force staff to shoestring an ordinance is unacceptable,” England said.

Unlike other valley cities, Cathedral City has no ordinance in the law books to regulate medical marijuana.

Coachella and Desert Hot Springs have moratoriums, while Indian Wells, Indio, La Quinta and Palm Desert passed dispensary bans, according to previous Desert Sun reports. Riverside County also has a ban in force for unincorporated areas.

In March, the Palm Springs City Council passed an ordinance which allows for only two medicinal marijuana dispensaries to operate in the city. Those dispensaries must be located in an industrial or industrial-commercial zone.
City concerned

According to a Cathedral City staff report, city officials are concerned the heavy regulations adopted by neighboring cities in regulating medical marijuana dispensaries would prompt some dispensaries to relocate to Cathedral City. To give staff time to study the issue and enact regulations, the staff wanted the City Council to adopt an ordinance.


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